Methods For Regulating Hair Growth Disorders

Abstract

The invention provides for methods for treating a hair loss disorder in a subject by administering a FGF13 inhibitor. The invention further provides for methods for treating a hair growth disorder in a subject by administering a FGF13 activator.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for inducing hair growth in a subject, the method comprising:
 (a) administering to the subject an effective amount of an inhibitor of FGF13,   thereby inducing hair growth in the subject.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the subject is a mammal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor comprises an antibody that specifically binds to a protein comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the subject is afflicted with a hair-loss disorder. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hair-loss disorder comprises androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, tinea capitis, alopecia totalis, hypotrichosis, hereditary hypotrichosis simplex, or alopecia universalis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step (b) determining whether the inhibitor administered induced hair growth in the subject as compared to the subject's hair growth prior to treatment with the inhibitor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the subject is afflicted with a hair loss disorder. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor comprises an antisense RNA that specifically inhibits expression of the gene that encodes the FGF13 protein; a siRNA that specifically targets the gene that encodes the FGF13 protein; or a small molecule that specifically inhibits the expression or activity of FGF13. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the siRNA is directed to a human nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the siRNA directed to a FGF13 gene is any one of the sequences listed in Table 1. 
     
     
         11 . A method for reducing hair growth in a subject, the method comprising:
 (a) administering to the subject an effective amount of FGF13 protein or an activator of FGF13 expression,   thereby reducing hair growth in the subject.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subject is a mammal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the subject is afflicted with a hair-growth disorder. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the hair-growth disorder comprises X-linked hypertrichosis, generalized hypertrichosis terminalis with or without gingival hyperplasia, autosomal recessive hypertrichosis, Cantu syndrome, Ambras type hypertrichosis, autosomal recessive trichomegaly or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of (b) determining whether the activator administered reduced hair growth in the subject as compared to the subject's hair growth prior to treatment with the activator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the activator is a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11, or a fragment thereof; or a peptidomimetic comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11. 
     
     
         17 . A method for determining the presence of or a predisposition to developing a hair-growth disorder in a subject, the method comprising:
 (a) extracting a sample from a subject;   (b) detecting the presence or reduction of an FGF13 protein in the subject as compared to a subject not afflicted with a hair growth disorder, wherein the reduction of the FGF13 protein is indicative of a hair growth disorder.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising incubating the sample with an agent that binds an FGFG13 protein, or fragment thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the agent is an antibody that specifically binds to the FGF13 protein, or fragment thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the hair-growth disorder comprises X-linked hypertrichosis, generalized hypertrichosis terminalis with or without gingival hyperplasia, autosomal recessive hypertrichosis, Cantu syndrome, Ambras type hypertrichosis, autosomal recessive trichomegaly or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A method for determining the presence of or a predisposition to developing a hair-growth disorder in a subject, the method comprising:
 (a) extracting a sample from a subject;   (b) detecting the presence or reduction of a FGF13 nucleic acid as compared to a subject not afflicted with a hair growth disorder, wherein the reduction of the FGF13 nucleic acid is indicative of a hair growth disorder.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the detecting comprises using PCR and primers directed to SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein one or more of the primers comprises SEQ ID NO: 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 54, 55. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the hair-growth disorder comprises X-linked hypertrichosis, generalized hypertrichosis terminalis with or without gingival hyperplasia, autosomal recessive hypertrichosis, Cantu syndrome, Ambras type hypertrichosis, autosomal recessive trichomegaly or a combination thereof.